Families show off skills at Waltham school for English learners

Forty Waltham families learning how to speak English together got to show off their skills at an end-of-year showcase at the Waltham Family School on Thursday, June 2.

Family School teachers have taught more than 500 parents and children to read, write and speak in English since the school’s inception in 2003. When the children go to early education classes, the adults learn English and general life skills. At the end of each school year, these English Language Learner (ELL) families present their developing English skills at an open house-style showcase.

“It’s about empowering the parents to be ready for when their kids go to school,” said Anne Dugan, development coordinator at the Family School.

Most of the adults don’t know any English when they begin at the school. According to Dugan, more than 60 percent of the parents at the school have less than a sixth grade education.

At the showcase, adults from the 40 families at the school create posters detailing some of the things they experienced and learned during the school year. The presentations served as opportunities to hold conversations with the community members who attended the open house.

The presentations made by parents included learning how to use computers and the internet with the help of volunteers from Brandeis, as well as learning about nutrition and cooking from members of Healthy Waltham.

“I try to use different color vegetables because they have different vitamins,” said Dalila Grimajo, a parent at the school.

Damaris Sirceao said she learned that grilling and baking chicken can be healthier than frying it and that her daughter liked the new meals she cooked.

Nicole Brice, a volunteer who attended the family school last year, said her son used to dislike vegetables.

“The chef showed us how to hide vegetables in the meatballs. Without knowing, he was asking for more and more,” she said.

At the end of the event, many of the school’s 18 preschool children sang songs to the assembled crowd.

Dugan said when the school was founded in 2003, it was funded by a federal grant and there were 22 similar programs across Massachusetts. Over time, the grant funding for the program was cut. The city stepped in and provided the space for the school at 510 Moody St., the site of the former Waltham South Middle School and the school is now funded by the Waltham schools budget as well as donations to the Friends of the Family School, a non-profit group created to raise funds for the school.

Dugan said the Waltham Family School is currently the only program like it in the entire state.

At the end of the showcase, program director Britta McNemar addressed and thanked the assembled crowd.

“It’s a community and a family and it’s important to our families that you appreciate and support what they’re doing,” she said.